


Winter is Warm with You

by Kroissant



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Annette being an absolute literal sunshine, Established Relationship, F/M, Felix being Felix, lots and lots of kissing, many scenes with handholding, prompt: winter getaway!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:01:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28373553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kroissant/pseuds/Kroissant
Summary: Annette happily cheered. “I promise, you will not regret this!”Felix leaned back on his chair, seizing his goblet. “Sure hope not,” He said and just this once, allowed a large smile to manifest.--------------------------------Or, Felix and Annette go on a get-away trip together at Derdriu.Netteflix Secret Seteth 2020 Exchange for @rurueroori
Relationships: Annette Fantine Dominic & Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Annette Fantine Dominic/Felix Hugo Fraldarius
Comments: 6
Kudos: 18
Collections: Netteflix Secret Seteth 2020





	Winter is Warm with You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ruroeroori](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ruroeroori/gifts).



> How's everybody going?
> 
> I'm doing well! To those not following my Twitter, I've recovered from the virus and am raring to go! I would like to also take this time to apologize for my lateness, especially to Ruri who happens to be my Secret Seteth!!
> 
> I included a musical part here so I hope you enjoy it! As for everybody else, I do hope you enjoyed it! It's been a while since I've written any fanfics so my writing might come off a bit different than the usual!
> 
> P.S. Bonus picture/image inserted by my lovely sister! Enjoy!

* * *

“Let’s go somewhere.”

Annette looked up from her book. Her eyes shifted to her husband on the far left corner of their office, scribbling away with the whip of his feather quill. A smile surfaced on her lips, innocently tipping her head. “Somewhere, you say?”

Felix nodded sharply, still transfixed with his work.

“What’s with this sudden forwardness?” She asked, closing her book and placing it on top of her lap. “Did something bad happened today?”

Sighing, Felix shook his head. “No, it’s just…well,” He made a scowl, crossing his arms as he tried to make sense of his tongue-tied fumbling. When it came to his wife, he couldn’t seem to make any coherent utterings. _Thank the Saints she doesn’t attend the same meeting as I do, or I’ll be a blubbering fool._ “…I just figured, with the holidays fast-approaching…you, me— _we_ , I mean…that we should take some time off and…”

“Go somewhere?”

Felix looked up, his bronze eyes linking to a pair of vibrant blue. The knowing smile on his wife’s face sparked a warm, fuzzy feeling in the pits of his stomach. He gave another sharp nod, paying no mind to the deep flush on the base of his neck crawling up the tips of his ears.

A loud thud hit the floor, which Felix was quick to react over.

“A getaway trip!” gushed Annette with a wide grin. “Oooh, it’s been so long since we’ve done something like this!” Hands pressed together, she started pacing across the room, her book left untouched on the carpet floor. “Oh my god, where should we go? Maybe Capital Fhirdiad? It’s not too far and since everybody we know is there, we might as well take the opportunity to do a surprise reunite!”

“Oh, oh! Or perhaps Enbarr?” Annette rambled away, “Oh, I know how much Dorothea wishes us to see her perform in the Mittelfrank Opera House and—”

Annette skidded to an abrupt halt, eyes widening as a sudden thought crossed her mind. She peered over her shoulder, redirecting her gaze at her baffled-looking husband. She flashed him with a sheepish grin. “Unless…you, being the meticulous and oh so brilliant you, already made plans beforehand.”

“I…haven’t gotten that far.” Felix admitted aloud, “Thought I’d let you be the one to do it. To arrange the whole thing, I mean.”

Annette beamed. “Really? Do you mean it?”

Felix sported a small smile as he tidied up his desk. “I’m giving you permission, aren’t I?” He rose from his chair, quickly making his way to his wife. “It’s been quite a long while since we did anything together.” He points out, pausing for a bit to swiftly retrieve the book from the ground and placing it on the coffee table. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

It was true. Despite being married for a year, their roles as the Duke and Duchess of Fraldarius estate demanded every second of their time and energy. Their schedules would often clash and force the pair to be apart from the other with Felix regularly attending weekly conferences at the royal palace or boarding patrol and Annette taking charge of their territory in his absence (not to mention taking the helm as a teacher at the local school).

As soon as Felix opened his arms, Annette rushed forth, tackling him in pure delight. Thankfully, Felix had a firm grip on her, keeping her at bay and entrapping her around his strong arms.

"Darlingggg!" Annette cried with joy, snaking her arms around his waist. She pressed a cheek to his chest, and after locating his heart, closed her eyes, and sighed. She smiled as her ears picked up his steady heartbeat, a safe reminder that he was, without a doubt, her haven. “Finally…alone at last.”

“And just think. All we had to do was endure two weeks just to do this,” Felix teased, which earned him a harsh jab. He chuckled, dismissing the pain sweltering on the side of his abdomen. _That’ll sting for a few days._ He dipped down to plant a kiss on her forehead; once, twice— _just the way she likes it_ —and drew back to perch his chin on the top of her head. This moment right now was probably the only quality time they ever had.

Aside from mealtime (with Annette usually striking up the conversation and Felix patiently listening), their ten-minute stroll in the garden and…unless you’d even count their stolen glances at one another as they pass each other by the halls, that was pretty much it.

Even when it was time for bed, the poor couple had nothing much to say but to exchange kisses and relish in their bodily warmth under their shared comforter. The dawn of a new day arrives, they wake up and greet the other, savor a few minutes through nonsensical teasing and peppering of kisses, and away they leave to undertake the first task on their list.

Sadly, their days off didn't align as much as they hoped. It so happened that today, Annette had no plans for the rest of the afternoon, and by her words, “what better way to spend it than by my darling’s side?”

Here they were, in the confinements of a stuffy office room, finally alone and undisturbed…somewhat. While Annette was already on her third book, Felix was still knee-deep with his reports. It hurt him to see his wife’s face as he politely rejected her plea to assist him. “There’s no need. I can handle it.” He would say to her almost every half hour, “We all know how much you deserve this break. Take this time and rest. Do it for me.”

His wife, ever the stubborn one, remained on standby. Deep down, Felix appreciated her small gesture but even he would admit that their duties were taking a large toll on them. Hence his out-of-the-blue declaration to go on a get-away trip.

_The sooner we do this, the more rejuvenated and driven we’ll be when we get back._ Felix convinced himself, and that was all it took to finally set his plan in stone.

“We’ll leave starting next week," said Felix, breaking the silence.

Annette hummed. “…For how many days?”

“Four.”

Suddenly, Annette’s eyes grew wide. “Four?” She exclaimed, craning her head back to look at him. “Four days? But what about the estate?”

“Already taken care of.” He assured. “I’ve asked my Uncle to stand in for us for the time being.” He reached his hand out, his long fingers gently grazing his wife’s rosy right cheek. “I’ve also written to Leonie, asking her to assist with the affairs of our troops.”

A bright smile surfaced on Annette’s face, only for it to dissolve quickly. “What about the school?” She asked worriedly. “The children were looking forward to my lessons in chemistry!”

“Lysithea will be coming to substitute for you,"

Annette frowned, still not convinced. “And the book club?”

“Ashe will take charge of that.”

Annette opened her mouth to object, only to close it again. No doubt, both Ashe and Lysithea were excellent picks (the first with children and the second with teaching). As impressive as Felix sounded, something wasn’t adding up. “How did…”

"I prearranged everything," Felix answered, affirming his wife’s suspicions. "Sylvain, Ingrid, and even Mercedes insisted that they’ll drop in here to ensure that everything’s going swimmingly.”

Annette smiled, touched by her friends’ willingness to contribute and make this getaway trip work. _Note to self: be sure to write thank-you letters before going_.

“You got everything covered, hmm?” She slid her hand to her husband’s face, lightly cupping his cheek, one which he was more than happy to lean onto. “Such a stickler for perfection you are, Lord Fraldarius,”

Placing his hand over hers, Felix leaned in to sneak another kiss on her forehead. The adorable squeal coming from his wife tickled his throat, eliciting a low chuckle out of him.

“A stickler, I am…” He muttered, eyes twinkling with mirth. “…but only for you.”

* * *

After a ridiculous amount of research, one which Annette delightfully threw herself into— _that adorkable nerd_ , she finally came to a satisfying conclusion.

“Derdriu? As in, the Aquatic Capital Derdriu?”

“Uh-huh!” Annette chirped, nodding enthusiastically. “You alright with that?”

Felix half-shrugged. "Don't care." He muttered, taking his silver goblet and bringing it up to his lips. “Any recreational activities I should be mindful of?”

“Hmm…” Annette pursed her lips, twirling her spoon in her cheesy gratin stew.

“Don’t play with your food.”

At this, Annette playfully stuck out her tongue.

Felix rolled his eyes at her immaturity. “So? Recreational activities?”

A warm smile resurfaced on his wife’s face as her eyes locked with his once more. She put a finger to her lips. “That’s for me to know and for you to find out!”

Felix scoffed, visibly hurt. “Villain,”

“Says you,” Annette shot back.

Placing his goblet back on the table, Felix gave her a one-second look. “Annette.”

Annette leaned in, mirroring his aloof stare. “Felix.”

“’nnette, _please_.”

There it was again, that kittenish grin. The innocent batting of the eyelashes. “Yes, darling?”

Felix inhaled a deep breath, keeping his uptight look intact. _You calculating minx._ “ _Please_ tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

“The activities, woman.” Felix sneered, opting to sound gentle to lure her in for the bait. “What you have plans in store for us.”

Annette stuck out another tongue. “No means no, Felix!”

All jokes aside, this time, it did seem serious. Her whole face was wholly upbeat and rose-pink like carnation blossoms— _as it should be_. But the secrets she kept for herself brought a new kind of color on her face, speckles of orange and pink adorning well with the light dusting of her freckles.

If there was one thing Felix knew about his dear wife, it was how openly expressive she was. If the changing of colors on the pigment of her skin and the naughty behavior she was pulling off was any indicator of it, then it must mean that these secrets she’s guarding must be important then.

Not knowing what was in store for them—and Derdriu of all places! —triggered a spiral of confusion and worry in Felix. Yes, he was the type to take up a challenge but not so much so that he’ll risk them all, unlike his plucky little wife right here.

Still…the thought of not knowing at all unlocked yet another emotion within him. An unrest exhilaration that was enough to get his blood spiking high.

The thrill of an adventure out there, one meticulously planned out by his oh-so-lovely wife who had the repetition of being a sharp-minded overachiever in their class. Anything molded from her brain was bound to be bizarre and outrageous of all sorts.

_One of the many qualities I love so much about her,_ Felix mused to himself.

“…Fine, you win,” He admitted his defeat, breaking the long overdue silence.

Annette happily cheered. “I promise, you will _not_ regret this!”

Felix leaned back on his chair, seizing his goblet. “Sure hope not,” He said and just this once, allowed a large smile to manifest.

* * *

The day came for the married pair to take to the skies.

By Annette’s suggestion—“It’ll take about a day to get to Derdriu by carriage ride. Good thing we’ve got Crusher over here! With him, it should probably take us half a day to get there! Give or take, none the less!”

As ludicrous as the idea may sound, it later proved to be the best alternative to their means of transportation. The sky was vast, open with remarkably no air travel (no flying Pegasi or Wyvern) to speak of. Second, flying high above the clouds turned out to be a quick and easy tactic in spotting the Aquatic Capital City, which was notorious for its bustling port and numerous industrial plants (a peculiar view that could only be seen directly above).

“Felix, look! We’ve made it! Safe and sound, haha!” Annette suddenly cried from the front seat, reins in tow. “And with only twenty-two minutes to spare!”

Per Annette’s announcement, Felix opened his eyes. He looked around, unamused by the nearby vendors packing up their trades and goods behind their stalls for the day. “Huh. We sure are.”

Thankfully, the weather was still clear and devoid of any rain or show. What’s more, Annette’s prediction turned out to be right—or according to her standards, ‘precisely twenty-two minutes and thirteen seconds ahead of schedule’… _never underestimate the power of that big brain of hers._

Felix glanced at the stone towers on his right where he saw the vibrant sun sinking behind the glittering white mountains. The blue sky had waned, bleeding into a vibrant fusion of purples and oranges.

_We better get a move on,_ Felix noted to himself. He leaped off the Wyvern mount with ease, wiping the dust off the back of his coat. He spun around, offering Annette his outstretched hand. "Let's hurry and get ourselves settled in." He said, pulling her forward as she gently slid off the mount. As soon as Annette’s feet hit the ground, Felix began dislodging their bags fastened on the sides of the large Wyvern.

Noticing this, Annette was quick to rush over. “Here, let me—”

“No, I got it,” Felix interrupted with no malice in his tone. “There’s not much for you to take anyway.”

Annette frowned, visibly hurt by his words. She opened her mouth to say something, only for Felix to swoop in and give her a quick kiss on the nose.

“I’ll check us in while you take Crusher somewhere to rest.”

Annette looked at him, mouth slightly agape. “Oh, okay.” She said, cheeks burning.

“Don’t be out too long," Felix added, hauling their bags with the support of his arms.

“We won’t!” Annette chirped, grinning to tenderly caress her Wyvern’s large snout. “Isn’t that right, Crusher?”

Crusher released a low pour, leaning into Annette’s warm touch.

Felix stood still as his wife and her trusty ‘steed’ left his side, watching them ever so carefully maneuver through the public square. He stood there for a little bit longer, eyes still trained on them (minding the children who stopped and stared in complete awe at the whimsical-looking pair and townsfolks waving in their direction as they passed by) until finally disappearing as they went around the corner.

Turning his heels, Felix strode to the open doors of their lounging. He marched straight for the front desk, dumping their bags on the floor to pull out the small sack of coins onto the counter. "I'd like to check-in for a single room."

* * *

“We’re finally here! Derdriu!”

Felix angled his head in the direction of the door where he saw his wife prancing inside with sparkles in her eyes. He let his eyes wander to her, chuckling as he watched her dove into the comforts of their queen-sized bed.

“I take it you found a stable suitable for Crusher?” He asked, joining her.

Annette bobbed her head, her face still buried deep in the thick comforter. Her hand snaked over to grab his. “Is it…we could visit…stables…now and then?” Her words were somewhat muffled but were enough to get the point across.

“If we have free time in your busy schedule,” He replied, rubbing his thumb over her dry skin. He leaned in to give each of her knuckles a quick peck, one which Annette visibly squirm and resorted to burying her face deeper into the blanket and whine.

“Scoot over,” Felix muttered, tapping his wife to move.

She silently obliged, face still buried on the pillow. laid down, making himself more comfortable. He drew a long sigh as the aching tension in his muscles were put to ease by the magic spell of the cozy serenity. The comforter beneath them was thick and irresistibly soft, like a sea of clouds. _Crap…my eyes are getting heavy._

“’nnette?”

“Hmm?”

“You excited for tomorrow?”

Annette angled her head, pressing her cheek on the pillow, and yawned. She looked up at her husband with half-lidded eyes and a lazy smile. "Yeah…" She drawled out and yawned again. She crawled over to him, taking the pillow along with her. "Tomorrow…is gonna be so much…funnnn…"

She rests her head on his chest, rubbing her cheeks childishly against his flat chest. Settled in with arms wrapped loosely around her pillow, she cooed at the steady rise and fall of her husband’s chest. “You excited too…darling?”

Felix smiled, nodding. “Yeah.”

“We’re…finally…going to do stuff…” Annette spoke softly, starting to doze off. “Just the…two of us…” Her head dipped down, straight for her husband’s chest.

Felix peered down, eyes clouded with concern. “…’nnette?”

A second later, his ears picked up her loud snoring.

Felix reclined his head back, a tiny smile dancing on his lips. Ever so carefully, he wrapped a protective arm over his sleeping wife. He gently pulled her in, eliciting a soft coo from her. With his other arm, Felix tugged the blanket from the other side, letting it envelop them in its cool, velvety touch.

At the notion, Annette wriggled for a bit.

“’nnette?”

Eyes still closed, his wife instinctively responded by grabbing hold of his dress shirt, tightening it into a closed fist. Felix smiled at the cute sight, stroking her back lovingly.

“Night, ‘nnette,” He murmured in her ear.

“Mhm…”

Once more, Felix checked up on her. He chuckled, spotting a trail of drool leaking out from the corner of her mouth.

He wiped her drool with the back of his finger. "Sleep tight," He said, kissing her on the temple. He blew the candle next to their bedside table, nestling back under the blanket.

The warmth of her body snuggling close to his, with the addition of the blanket…

_Tomorrow, huh?_

Felix shut his eyes, inching closer to press his nose into her red hair. Inhaling her scent, he smiled, letting the call of sleep overtake him.

_Can’t wait to spend every minute with you._

* * *

The dawn of a new day came fast-approaching. The air was crisp, fresh with sprinkles of salt coming from the neighboring sea. The open blue sky was clear of clouds; perfect weather for those who wish to fly on their mounts and explore.

It was early in the morning and the married couple decided to drop by the stables. They sighed in relief upon spotting Crusher still fast-asleep and lounging in its hay, away from the other prying mounts.

With that said and done, they wandered off into the public plaza. Naturally, Annette took the lead with Felix leisurely tagging along at a steady pace.

“Now that we’re here, we can start on our planned recreational activities!” Peering over her shoulder, Annette shot her aloof-looking husband a toothy grin. “Are you ready?”

Felix gave her a half-shrug. “As I’ll ever be.”

Annette laughed. “Good!” She chirped back. She scurried faster, tugging onto his left wrist rather forcefully. “The first thing on our list is…the winter marketplace!”

Right on cue, the married couple entered a lively and overcrowded area. Vendors shouted loud and proud behind their stalls, promoting their wares to their sea of customers. The wooden benches aligning the center of the place was jam-packed with elderly and children, huddled together with their colorful treats and goodies. The festive decorations—starting from the ornamental wreaths hanging from one streetlamp to another, foot-long garlands teeming with pinecones, prickly leaves, and plastic red berries and large depictions of snowflakes were either suspended or displayed on each stall.

“I read that Derdriu goes big when it comes to the holidays!” Annette began, closing the space between them. She hooked her arms over his elbow, eyes still fixed on the festive sight. “Where would you like to start?”

Felix looked around, taking a moment to inspect each nearby stall. The blinding lights and cacophony of laughter made him visibly cringe. He snuck a glance at his wife who waited eagerly for his response. _No turning back now._

“Dunno. Where do you wanna go first?”

“Hmm…” Annette pursed her lips as she looked around. “Oh! There’s a stall over there that sells hot chocolate! Let’s go there!” She naturally took the lead, yanking his arm as they moved through the sea of consumers.

“Oh my god! Felix, look!”

Upon her declaration, Felix held his gaze to meet Annette's jittery finger point to the wooden board listing the variety of beverages, snacks, and cost.

“Look! They’re selling creamy peppermint hot cocoa!” Annette gushed, her face rosy and pink.

Felix met her gaze with a raised brow. “You want one?”

Annette nodded excitedly. “What about you?”

Looking up, Felix inspected the board. “Hmm…I’ll take black coffee.”

Shortly after their purchase—and Felix sneaking in a snowman cookie for his beloved to munch on, the pair walked to the closest streetlamp to indulge with their new treats.

“Alright! Let’s dig in!” Annette exclaimed. She unhooked her arm from Felix’s elbow and began to cautiously blow on her warm drink. Her fingers curled around the white plastic cup, smiling as the heat from the cup exuded from the fabric of her favorite blue mittens to her skin.

“Ahh! So good!”

Felix leaned his back on the streetlamp as a small, fond smile curled on his lips. He took a sip of his drink, eyes lingering on his wife’s very subtle movement.

“Come on, Felix! Try this out!”

Felix lowered his cup, opening his mouth and ready to protest. Instead, he blew out his cheeks, nearly choking in the process.

Annette was quick to pat his back in support, an expression written with concern. “Woah! You okay, darling?”

Felix nodded curtly, clearing his throat a few times. “Yeah, I’m good. I’m good." He assured her (and more so himself.) He turned back to take a look at her, the pink plush still apparent on his cheeks.

Needless to say, Annette was oblivious to his reaction and took another innocent second sip of her drink. “Mwaaaah! Super good!”

Peering up, she noticed her husband struggling hard to keep his stoic expression in check. She tilted her head, a lock of her hair poking out from one shell of her ear. “What?” She asked with a nervous smile. “Something on my face?”

“Not really,” coughed Felix, rubbing the back of his sunburnt neck.

Annette narrowed her eyes, giving her husband a cold look. "You sure about that?”

Felix shrugged as he looked away. A crooked grin made its way past his lips, one which caused Annette to raise her brows. “Just a cloudy mustache, is all.”

“Ahh! W-wait, what!?” Annette squeaked, quickly wiping the whipped cream with the back of her mitten. “Is it gone?”

Felix leaned in to inspect her face intensely.

Annette’s face burned deeper under his gaze. He brushed her cute button nose with his finger, bringing it to his lips and then licking it. “It’s gone.”

Annette squeaked. “F-Felix!” She jabbed him on the side of his arm, blushing furiously.

Felix glanced at her with a sly grin. “What?”

Annette frowned deeply. Her attempt to make an angry face failed. She was too adorable.

Felix wrapped a protective arm around her waist, startling the latter. For the second time that day, Felix leaned in to peck her on the nose, determined to keep her as physically close to him as possible. “So, where to?” He murmured into her ear.

Annette’s breathing hitched. The vibration of his voice—sultry, deep, sensual, melted her legs into jelly. She bit hard into her lower lip, clutching her hands tight into closed fists. _Concentrate, Annette! Don’t let him get to you!_

“’nnette?”

Hearing her name, Annette looked up. Curious blue met patient bronze. “Are there any more shops you wanna visit?” Felix suggested in a softer, patient tone.

Annette pondered for a moment. “Yeah,” She beamed, revealing her dimples. “Let’s do it!”

Her signature smile warmed Felix from head to toe, rallying him to keep going. He wordlessly claimed her hand, grazing his thumb on the surface of her woolen mitten.

Annette broadened her grin, albeit bashful with his intimate gesture— _mind you, that this was the same man who refuses to kiss her in front of his soldiers and friends in public,_ and squeezed his hand in affirmation.

“Finish your drink and snack and let’s get going,” Felix points out, drinking the last drops of his coffee and then casually throwing it into the nearest trashcan.

For the rest of the afternoon, the married couple ambled through the busy streets, hands interlocked. Every so often, Annette would tug him to a stall that caught her interest and fawn over the many festive knickknacks and display of food.

One bag became two. Two became three, then four, five…and still counting.

During their shopping spree, Felix left her side to check on something.

“Stay here for a while. I’ll be right back,” Felix said, pecking her on the temple. “Okay?”

Annette nodded, smiling. “Okay.”

Another kiss sealed their deal and away Felix left, leaving Annette alone with their cluster of bags encircling her. Annette smiled, keeping watch of her husband’s figure slowly vanish and merge into the hustle and bustling crowd.

“You’ve got a keeper there, my dearie,”

Annette turned to lock eyes with the elderly woman behind the counter.

At her comment, Annette turned beet red. Still, she couldn’t help but let a sheepish smile crack through her lips. “Yeah. I’m incredibly blessed.”

“You sure are,” The elderly woman agreed, giggling. “From the look in your eyes, I can see that he treats you right. Not many men out there are like him, you know. Consider yourself a lucky lady.”

With a light hum, Annette veered to check on the wares inside the glass counter. She lowered her head, eyes narrowed as she zeroed in on the peculiar object. An image of her husband manifested, triggering her to blush in full bloom.

“Oh? Is there something you fancy?”

Annette smiled wider, not minding the deeper flush invading her face. She pointed her finger at the item of choice, heart fluttering with joy. “How much does this cost?”

The elderly vendor followed her gaze and cackled softly. “That would be 1,500 Gold.” She said but before Annette could take out her small sack of coins, the latter was quick to hold up her hand. “But for a lovely dearie like you, you deserve a discount.”

Annette’s eyes lit up. “Do you mean it?”

The elderly woman nodded, followed by a pleasant smile. “500 Gold should do just fine,”

Annette nodded, counting the coins in her small sack. “Here you go,” She finally said, offering the proper amount of coins to the vendor. “And a little bonus for you,”

Stunned, the elderly vendor looked at the collection of silver and gold coins in her possession. “Oh, dearie, there’s no need to—”

Annette reached out, clasping her hand over the vendor’s. “You gave me a discount,” She affirmed, “The least I could give is to give you this.”

“Oh…” A large smile spread across the elderly vendor’s face, a bit teary-eyed by the young woman’s generous tip. “Thank you,”

“No, _thank you_!” Annette countered back. The two women laughed at their little joke and with the vendor graciously accepting the money, Annette was rewarded with a nicely wrapped box containing her beloved's item.

“You enjoy the rest of your day now, dearie,” said the elderly vendor, cleaning the surface of her glass counter. “Happy holidays!”

Annette nodded, smiling. “You too, happy holidays!” She spun around, eyes widening at the sudden sight of her husband. “Oh, Felix!”

Felix bobbed his head lamely. “What’d cha got there?”

Annette forced a rehearsed smile, stashing away her small gift inside the front pockets of her sweater. “Nothing, nothing!” She laughed half-heartedly.

Felix gave her a long, hard look. He cast a glance at the elderly vendor behind his wife who merely gave him a curt nod in return. Felix slightly tipped his chin in acknowledgment.

“So…where to?” He asked, retrieving their bags from the ground.

"Restaurant!" Annette chirped and snatched the remaining two bags before her husband could take them.

Felix gave her a curious glance. “A restaurant?”

“Yup! Leonie recommended it to me,” She explained and peered over her shoulder one more time to bid the elderly vendor farewell. They left the stall together with Annette’s arm around Felix’s elbow keeping them linked at proximity. Skirting through the crowd, they eventually made it out on the other side of the marketplace from whence they started.

“What kind of restaurant is it?” Felix asked, curiosity taking over.

Annette grinned. “You’ll see it when we get there!”

* * *

In a port city like Derdriu, one might expect the cuisine to be seafood-centric. Based on Felix's observation, almost ninety-nine percent of the time, such a statement was true. It wasn't until later on that the restaurant they happened to stumble across, one which Annette insisted they should go to under the recommendation of their old classmate, that such suspicion was finally laid to rest.

“Good evening! How many seats would you like today?”

At Annette’s two fingers, the waitress gracefully led them to a table closest to the glass window on their right. “I’ll give you some time to look over,” The waitress said, distributing the menus to the married couple. “I’ll be right back with your drinks and silverware.”

Annette buried her face into the menu, brows furrowed in concentration. “There sure are a lot of clams here,”

Felix opened his menu, skimming through each catalog boorishly. Flipping another page, he spotted the dessert section. He looked over the long list of sweet dishes for a moment. _‘nnette likes sweet…_ He noted, peeking from his menu to check on his wife. _Anything with strawberries and peaches mostly._

A sudden thud on their table prompted Felix to look up.

“Hello! Are you ready to order?”

“Oh, uh…” Annette shuffled nervously in her seat, eyes glossing over the menu every few seconds. From the way she was acting, it seemed she was at a loss of what to choose. “Darling?”

At the mention of his pet name, Felix looked up. His eyes locked with hers.

“Why don’t you order first?” She offered gently.

Felix nodded sharply. He looked up to meet the waitress’s kind eyes. “I’ll take a slice of your peach pie and one strawberry tart.” He suppressed the

The waitress jotted down the order on her notepad, humming. “Entrees?”

“I’ll take a spicy tuna stew.”

“Drinks?”

“Water is fine.” Felix glanced at Annette who held up two fingers. “Make it two.”

The waitress scribbled away. “Alright!” She chirped, “We have one spicy tuna stew, a slice of peach pie, a strawberry tart, and two water. Would that be all for now?"

Before Annette could protest, Felix nodded.

“Good! We’ll bring in some appetizers for you to snack on while you wait.” Once the waitress left, Annette was quick to flash her husband a panicked look.

“It’s our getaway trip,” Felix said, answering her unspoken question. “For all you’ve done so far, you deserve a treat.”

“But dinner—”

“Can wait,” Felix cuts her off, resting his hand over hers. “Tonight, dessert comes first. Then dinner.”

His wife’s bashful smile tickled his insides, one which he welcomed completely.

“Love you, darling,”

Felix hummed, taking her hand. He pressed his lips on each of her knuckles, one at a time. A small smile graced his features. “I know,”

* * *

Night fell and the twilight haze of the day lifted to reveal stars. At long last, the day of their getaway trip was coming to an end. But according to Annette’s schedule, there was one more thing on her list.

After dropping off their bags in their lounging, Annette dragged him back outside and towards a rental place for gondolas.

“Here you go! One paddle for me and one paddle for you!”

Felix frowned as he was offered a wooden paddle. “What’s this for?”

“For our last activity, silly!” Annette cried, hopping over to the gondola. “A midnight ride, just the two of us!”

They sailed around, eventually parking their rented gondola close to the harbor. Annette was the first to make a move, placing herself close to her husband and locking their hands. Felix followed suit, snaking his arms around her and keeping her close.

The tiny waves rocked the boat, inviting the calm and serenity of the space. The crystal sea was dazzling in beauty, twinkling in sync with the starry sky.

Finally…it was just the two of them.

“Felix, look!”

Annette pointed a finger up to the heavens. Felix looked up, amazed by the illumining emerald and violet spectacle dancing in the space between the stars.

“…How?”

“Just in time, huh?”

Felix snorted at the smugness hinted in her voice. “You've thought this through, haven’t you?”

“Sure did!” Annette confirmed with a gleeful smile. She turned her head, eyes averting to the small gift she stored inside her pocket. “Here’s a bonus.”

Felix tipped his head to the side. “What is that?” He asked, jerking his chin at the gift in her hands.

“It's for you," said Annette rather shyly, her face as red as an apple. "I found this in the marketplace. Saw it and then thought of you.”

This time, it was Felix’s turn to blush.

“Here! Open it!” Annette encouraged, pushing the gift to his chest.

Felix half-smiled, accepting the gift with one hand. He stared at it for a moment, trying to memorize every inch of detail. He brought his hand to loom over the wrapping…only to stop and stuff it back inside his pocket.

“Only if you open your first.” He said and dug out his hand, revealing a small-sized plate. He met Annette's eyes once more, amused to see her jaw dropped at his surprise.

“Oh, Felix…”

Felix took her hand, placing his gift and pushing it toward her. “This makes us even,”

Annette closed her mouth, nodding. “Yeah…” She replied with an airy laugh. She glanced at her gift, her heart singing with joy.

“Go and open it,”

Annette nodded firmly. Without a moment to lose, she aggressively tore off the wrapper, excited to see what it could be. “Oh, Felix…you shouldn’t have!” She gushed, taking the blue flower pin. It bore a striking resemblance to the family heirloom (ribbon brooch with her maiden house, Dominic) attached to the front of her sweater. She pressed the flower pin close to her chest, sniffing. “Felix…” She hiccupped, putting on a strained smile. “Thank you, thank you! I love it so much!”

Felix nodded, leaning in to give her a peck on her rosy cheek.

Annette giggled, nuzzling her cheek against his soft touch. She drew away to put on the flower pin. “How is it?”

“Beautiful.”

An invasion of red bloomed on her face, rivaling the shining splendor of her smile. “Now it’s your turn.”

Felix nodded silently, already ripping the wrappings of his gift.

Annette bounced in her seat as the boring look on her husband’s face changed into that of pure wonder.

Grasping the hilt, Felix raised it high into the air, revealing with what seems to be a beautiful twelve-inch steel-cut dagger.

“So?”

Felix glanced her way, a ghost of a smile tracing his lips. “Where did you get this?”

Annette winked, putting a finger to her lips. “That’s my little secret!”

Felix shook his head, a smile still evident on his face. He took her hand, placing sweet kisses on each knuckle. “Thank you,”

“Thank you too,” She chimed, equally blushing. She settled closer to him, sighing as she nuzzled her cheek against his chest.

“ _My darling’s hair~ how it flows like silk~ His cute little nose~ How it helps him to sniff!”_ She sang with an off-tune beat. Lifting her chin, she locked eyes with her beloved. She tossed her hand up, her fingertips stroking the fine outline of his jaw. _“My darling’s eyes! My, how they gleam and shine~ Oh, his lips~ How they fit nicely with mine!”_

Felix put the dagger to the side, sighing as he relaxed to his wife’s whimsical song. He closed his eyes, the gentle rocking of the gondola and Annette’s voice close to lulling him to sleep.

“And so marks the end of our first day,” Annette broke the silence, nestled under her husband’s strong arms. “Day two, here we come..."

A rush of memories of their outing today flashed into his mind. The thought of spending more time with his wife—walking together, going hand-in-hand with her in the marketplace, checking out the restaurants, admiring the Northern Lights…and possibly more to come, caused a flood of warmth to spill into his stomach. _Warm and lively, just like her._

Powder of snow magically fell down.

Felix looked down at his laughing wife, the same laugh which saved him countless times. Winter...so cold and bare. But with her, there was warmth. There was life, there was meaning. _She's the very essence of spring._

"So what's it going to be, Lord Fraldarius?" Annette teased, nudging him by the elbow. "Ready for another adventure tomorrow?"

For the second time that day, Felix puts on a genuine smile. **"With you, Lady Fraldarius, I'm there,"**

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to personally thank @Reem from Twitter and discord server, @nttflx_exchange from Twitter for planning this amazing event!
> 
> And to my lovely friend/Secret Seteth participant, Ruri! If you can, please take the time to visit her Twitter and check out her amazing felannie/netteflix fanart!
> 
> Link down below if you are interested:  
> https://twitter.com/rurueroori
> 
> Thanks so much again and remember to wash your hands constantly, drink lots of water, and rest well! We're almost at the end of the finish line (2020) people! I wish you all safe and well! Happy holidays!


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